The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-08-01
Why We MAY Celebrate.


! The Boston journal recently gave some
interesting reasons why the people of the
! United States should celebrate the centen-
NAL of the adoption of the constitution. 1t
was on Sept. II, 1877, that the convention
which framed the constitution presented it
| to the people for ratification. After con-
| siderable delay it was ratified and what
Mr.. Gladstone has pronounced 'the most
wonderful work ever struck off at a given
| time by the brain and purpose of man,
went into operation early in the year 17Sl.
At that date, therefore, national development
began In 1890 the population of the United
States was 3,929,214. 1t is now estimated
to be over 81 100000. The development of
the country in population has been nothing
less than wonderful I'm 1881 Great
Britain and Ireland contained "a 600 of
people, and fifty years later 34,000,000.
During that period France increased from
81, GG00 600 to $4,000 During that half
century this republic bounded from l3,000,-
600 to 50,000000. That is, in fifty years the
increase has been equal to the population of
France and to-day more English-speaking
people live in the republic than in all the
world besides"
In 1850 the wealth of the United States
was but IS, 40 600, 900, while that of Great
Britain and ireland was more than 500 800,
100000. In the next thirty years Great
Britain's wealth was measured by S43 600,
100000, while that of the United States
was S4S, 100000. Mr. Ghauncey NJ. De
pew, of New York, said not long ago that
was 100000 100000 The United States are
the greatest agricultural and the greatest
manufacturing country in the world. In
1880 the value of manufactures was
s., 560, 900, 900, while that Of Great Britain
and Ireland was $4,090,000,000. Not only
are the people of this country the greatest
producers but they are the greatest
consumers Of the products Of industry and
skill in tho world. The total annual saving
of the people is 81, 1000 ,000--$2S0, 100000
more than that of the people of Great Bri-
tain. Mr.. Andrew Carnegie says: ''The
100000 Americans of 1880 could have
bought up the 40, 900, 900 of Russians. Aus
TRANS and Spaniards: or, after purchasing
wealthy France, would have had enough
pocket money to acquire Denmark Nor
way, Switzerland and Greece" They could
have bought Great Britain, Ireland and
Wales and still have had enough to pay off
the national debt of those countries. In
shipping the United States rank next to
Great Britain. There are more miles of
railway in this country than in the whole
of Europe, and there are 1000 miles of
telegraph.
In 1880 the United States expended $S2,
100000 for public schools, there being H.,
100 of them at that date, not to mention
higher institutions. A foreign-born citizen
Of the United States says: 1.-THE free com
mon school system of the land is probably,
after all, the greatest single power in the
unifying process which is producing the
new American race. Through the crucib,e
of good common English education, fur
nished free by the State, pass the various
racial elements-children of Irishmen, Ger
mans, Italians, Spanish, Swedes, side by
side with the native American, all to be
fused into one language, in thought, in feel
ing, and in patriotism"
No other nation in the world expends as
much money for religious training, for
charities, and for higher education.
SIN 1880 only five persons in ], 900 were the
objects of public charity, while in Europe
the number was forty-one. Our people gen
orally arc the most intelligent, the best fed,
clothed and housed in the world What the
laboring classes here enjoy as everyday
necessaries of life those in other countries
regard as Injuries While other nations
are expanding millions annually to keep up
costly ornaments, we have no standing
army. While our public debt is decreasing,
that of the leading nations of Europe is an
increasing burden"
Much more might be added but enough
has been said to show that the people of the
United States have the very best reasons
for celebrating the centennial of the adop-
ton of the constitution under which they
live